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2014-04-13 - Catch Me If You Can: The Old Fashioned Way
The Raft, a holding cell, stripped of his fishbowl helmet, his suit, his illusions and everything that made him intimidating or at least appear at times. Quinton Beck sit wearing an Orange prison jumpsuit and his hands locked in cuffs. There was a table and another chair in front of him. It seemed Somebody in SHIELD had pulled Cap some strings and arranged this meeting without Beck's lawyer. In full costume, the 'new' Captain America is ushered into the chamber, and sits down, comfortably. He leans over the table, just a little. "Quinten Beck," is the greeting Mysterio gets, as Bucky makes himself comfortable. "That was some video stunt you pulled. Too bad that Savage couldn't have made use of your -full- potential. Things might've gone differently." The villain was known for being quite the talker. He brought new meaning to old cliche monologuing villain. He though looks up at Captain America and says defiantly, "I'm not talking to you without my lawyer. Get Bent, Wannabe." "If that's the way you want it," remarks the new Captain America, dryly. "And here, I was to see if you wanted my help. The way I understand it, someone hired the Winter Soldier to deal with you. Seeing as you got in the way of their personal vendetta with Tony Stark." James looks around himself, briefly. "And as secure as the Raft is, ... well." There's an almost reluctant shrug of his shoulders. "I'm glad I'm not you. Somehow, I don't think the Winter Soldier is going to care much for your lawyer, either." "Look It was just a job, I did what Savage wanted. Why should... Wait Stark? What do you mean Stark?" That actually caught Beck off guard. "What the hell? I didn't have anything to do with Stark's disappearance. Why the hell would they target me? I'm an artist and I did put out a video like everyone else. But I don't have Stark." "There's no need to play dumb, now. SHIELD has the evidence. And, we both know that information, in the spy game, leaks out here. Or there. You've pissed off someone, Beck. And enough so that they're sending the Winter Soldier after you." He shakes his head, shrugging once, and leaning back in his chair. "But, I understand. I won't take up anymore of your time. And, we'll let your lawyer deal with everything." He moves, then, to push himself up, to a standing position and off the table. Beck frowns, "What the hell is a Winter Soldier?" Not everyone knowing about the Soviet bogey man. He frowns, "What do you mean evidence? It's not a crime to make a fake internet video. People do it all the time. I'm an artist and that's not a crime." "Kidnapping is a crime, Beck. Tell me, how did you plant the cube? The one under the stage. And the one in the microphone stand? I'll have to say, the image-inducer you made of Stark was convincing." He's standing now, but not quite out of the room. "It was your technology. Labwork proves it." And there's a pause, "The Winter Soldier?" A grim frown, "Used to be a governmental assassin for the Russians. When they wanted someone killed. Badly. And no one be able to find out who did it. Until recently. Last seen after he held off Omega Red from an incursion at a Russian base, by himself." That is -- more, or less true. He's just not adding in the part of Red Guardian aiding him. "Rumor has it he's gone freelance." There seems to be no lie in Cap's expression. Quinton Beck looks horrified, "What how? No... It can't be. That bastard. Look you got to get me some protection. I'm innocent. I didn't do it. I didn't kidnap Stark. Savage had me working around the clock. I didn't have time. Look I made the video of Stark running from the Natives like Indiana Jones. I was testing out some new tech, seeing if I could make even more convincing videos. It was all an experiment. I didn't kidnapp him... It wasn't me." Captain America (II) lowers himself back into the seat. His eyes narrow thoughtfully, then he nods. This? This is what he figured. That Beck really -wasn't- involved. But, ... if it could pan out a lead? "Alright. But it -was- your tech, Beck. No one else's, that set that hologram up at the Expo. That played it. Care to tell me how it got there? And, who this 'bastard' is? If we can prove it, and get evidence out, you won't be a target anymore." Mysterio looks at Captain America, "Yeah but I'll have the underworld after me for ratting the guy out. Also Russian Super spy assassins don't exactly take Captain America's advice. I've seen the movies. I want a new id and name. I want a cleared sentence. Look I'm the victim here, My tech was stolen and now they're going to kill me over Stark!" "They don't take Captain America's advice, generally," agrees James. "What they do do, however, is follow their instincts. He was hired to kill Stark's kidnapper. Right now? That's you, according to all the evidence. Give me something else to go on. And his target may change." The man in the mask shakes his head, "Savage didn't even stick around. He let you, and everyone else with him take the fall except himself. You think this - bastard - you're protecting will do anything different? It's time you should look out for yourself, Beck. You tell me who this is, and I'll talk to Fury. You're a clever man. And this offer is off the table, when I leave the room. Who do you think sent me here?" Beck looks around for a moment, "I want a deal... Your Captain Fing Merica, even the new one you got to do what you say cause that's what you do. Oh okay." He looks around, "So what yeah it's my tech, or a variation of it. Look I didn't design my tech to begin with all on my own. You ever heard of the Tinker, Phineas Mason? Guy occasionally for the Kingpin. Other than that he works for other villains making tech. He could have sold my stuff or maybe he nutted up after all these years after getting snubbed by stark and the rest for his genius and proved what he could do." "I said I'd talk to Fury," says James, with a hint of edge to his tone. He does not like to repeat himself, it'd seem. Or having his honor questioned, or duty questioned, by someone of Beck's reputation. There's a nod, once. "The Tinkerer," he repeats, nodding once. "I've - heard of him. We'll look him up." The man moves to stand, asks, "Anything else you care to add, before I leave then?" There's a pause, "Every little bit helps. Location, for example." Beck shrugs, "It's been years man, years. He usually operates in the City or at most the east coast. If he isn't working for the Kingpin, who knows. I'd track down the Shocker, Killer Shrike, Grizzly, Jack O'Lantern, Hobgoblin. Any of your independents that aren't exactly known for the brain power." "Right." James inclines his head, and begins to move out of the cellblock. "Good move, Beck. I'll make sure Fury knows about how - cooperative you were. Have a good day." And, moving to the doors, he's let out, gives the man behind the bars a final glance, before walking towards the end of the hall in the Raft, and out to talk to Fury.